Last day in Bath, we visited the Royal Gardens and met a new friend.
Our new friend, she followed us for a long way, and really wanted to be petted.
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Kestrel sighted at the Royal Crescent in Bath, England
Well it does appear that our Kestrel Port caught a train, and ended up visiting one of the most famous places in Bath, the Royal Crescent. This was where the well-to-do folks lived, and yes still do. It is iconic in bath, an image of class which of course fitting for anything Kestrel.
Kestrel sighted at Paddington Station, London
Kestrel stopped to visit the Paddington Bear at Paddington Station. Could it be he was heading for a train?
The itinerary
We fly to London arriving late in the evening, so we will spend the night near Heathrow. The next morning we make our way to Bath by way of the Tube and Train. After a few days in Bath its back to Gatwick and a flight to Barcelona in Spain. Alexis will join us there for a couple of days, then we will rent a car and drive to Madrid. When we leave Madrid we will fly to Lyon, France. Alexis will take the train to Seville to meet up with a college friend. We will spend a week in the South of France before returning our car in Lyon then taking the high speed TGV train to Paris where we will Join Alexis for a couple days before she returns home. We will then take a train through the Chunnel, flying out of Heathrow for Seattle the next day.
Sophie and Neville, our cats, will miss us, but thanks to a great house-sitter, neighbors and their dogs that keep a watchful eye, and a great guy who is going to clean the gutters, they will not be alone much at all, in fact probably have more company than when we are home going to work.
Europe here we come!
This is a little town in Provence, we leave in 4 days. Plans all made, some packing tips to come.
Another good meal at 30,000 feet
Dinning menus, a norm on international flights, are rare on domestics. Yet on the flight from Anchorage to LAX there it was. Green salad with haricots verte and a tuna pate. 
The choice of entree included a pork chop with peach reduction, garlic sautéed beens, and polenta. Desert was creme brûlée with dollop of chocolate.
A glass of white wine topped it off well.
I have acknowledged that airplane food is the subject of jokes, and yes there is a lot that does not measure up. Yet Alaska has worked to raise the bar on domestic flights. Even their food for purchase available in coach is improving. Horizon continues to stand out as the only domestic to offer complimentary Microbrews and Northwest Wines – amazing.
Of course this is not to say that I would take even the best of domestic fare over say, The View Wine-bar, Village Wine, Brix, or In the Red Wine Bar.
A tale of two tables
Las Vegas holds no attraction other than restaurants (not buffets as they hold even less attraction than casinos). Tricia joined me last week on a quick business trip. The View Wine Bar, and Bouchon Bistro were enticement enough, and a hike in the Red Rock Canyon while I was speaking sealed the deal.
We found The View last November on our trip to Death Valley, and the experience there elevated it to one of our favorites. So after landing at the airport, checking in to the Flamingo to be near my seminar, we headed to the suburb for a great meal. It was sunset as we sat down at a window seat, St Patricks day but not crowded, anticipating a relaxing and wonderful small plate meal.
I was put off immediately by the loud live music, so loud it was distracting and even made it hard to talk. Thankfully the singer took a break for a significant part of our meal, yet we did have an encoure for the last part, as loud as ever.
The food was good yet seemed to not be of the same caliber as our first visit. Most were heavy on the salt. I looked in the kitchen, the chef who we had met on our first trip did not seem to bee there, possible he takes Sunday nights off.
The service was good, James was attentive to the point of too helpful, a bit less explanation of each dish would be a nice touch. Beth, our server from our first visit was a pleasant as ever, which must have contributed to her promotion to manager. Remembering us she surprised us with Beignets for desert. I love the carmel sauce. Because of her we will give The View another chance if we get back there, yet it was not the evening I was hoping for.
The next night we headed for a long anticipated dinner at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon. Keller has been voted “Restauranteur of the year 2013.” His first establishment was The French Laundry in Sonoma, Tony Bourdaine calls it one of the best in the world. In November oysters and Champagne in the afternoon along with a glimpse of Keller himself whetted our appetite for a full dinner.
Well, it was above average, but not great. The waiter was friendly, even as he frequently suggested a $145 bottle of wine through the meal. I started with beef marrow, which I must say has become a new favorite. I followed that with mussels and frites. Tony Bourdaine spilled his wine on his show at his surprise that the fries were as good as those he makes at his restaurant And I must agree that the frites were the best part of the meal. The Mussels were not near as good as those I had last year at The Jory in Newberg.
So food-wise the trip did not meet the anticipation. The View gets a second chance, I doubt I will be as quick to visit a Keller place in the future.
Ramekin Mash and cooking for fun
It has always frustrated me to spend an hour cooking only to have the meal over in 20 minutes, thus I have become obsessed with small plates and courses. We have small bowls in 2 or three sizes, which work great for veggies and small soups, square plates of 4” and 6” sizes for salads and mains. The eye appeal immediately adds a bit of class to even the most simple of fares.
Small dinnerware invites small portions, health advantages aside it is more enjoyable to sample multiple tastes in sequence; the midweek meal is transformed into a special event without a lot of effort.
If you are cooking alone, then a glass of wine, good music, and a good meal is well earned pampering after a long day. If you have a friend or spouse to join you there is no better way to unwind and connect.
A simple menu: Tenderloin, Ramekin Mash, and salad with blue cheese crumbles, balsamic and olive oil- takes about 30 – 40 minutes to cook.
This side dish is a cross between garlic mash and herbed Yorkshire pudding. It goes well with steak or prime rib, the juices only add to the flavor. The best part is how easy it is.
Spray ramekins or small tart pans with oil. Boil a medium Yukon Gold potato, mash with butter, milk and lots of garlic. Make a batter with flour, egg, milk, salt, and herbs, most any would work, as to how much, well when it comes to herbs if you have to ask you just don’t get it, some is the appropriate measure. The batter should be the consistency of pancake batter.
Place a small amount of a batter in the bottom of each pan (a tablespoon or two). On top of the batter place a small pile of garlic mashed potatoes (I am convinced that most any combination of root vegetables and or squash would only enhance the flavor). Then pour a bit more of the batter around the mash. It is ready for the oven.
Bake in a pre-heated 400F oven until golden brown, should take 15-20 minutes. (If you have extras, save for a lunch, re-heat, then melt grated cheddar cheese under the broiler.)
Serve with an easy drinking red wine. Eat the salad after the main as the French might do. If you are feeling decadent some dark chocolate with a Tori Mor Port rounds the evening out well.
Food and cooking is one of the great blessings we have, the secret is to make it fun, share it with someone you love, and take your time.
Oregon and back – a weekend stir-fry
Stir-fry is a quick cooked meal composed of a variety of often disassociated fixin’s, that all come together end the end. Such was our weekend.
Saturday
10.00am Pick up rental car, load Alexis’ stuff into her car.
11.00am Total Wine and More in Tukwila, shop, taste, buy.
Noon – 1.00pm At airport to pick up Alexis, she was arriving from Bangladesh, via Dubai.
Drive to Newberg arriving at 4.35.pm, we dropped her off and helped her unload.
Tim and Cheri’s at about 5.35pm, wonderful evening of roasted chicken, green beans, fireplace, good music.
Red Lion Jantzen Beach by 10.30pm
Sunday
After a fruitless search for a latte, I found one at the hotel. Tim picked me up at 7.45am for coffee at the Red E in Portland.
We met up with Tricia and Cheri at about 9.30 then headed to breakfast at a funky, odd, car themed diner- Beaterville – I had the “Mini Cooper” – scrambled eggs with pepper-jack cheese, potatoes, biscuits and gravy.
At 11.30am we got to Adam’s house, my son. He wanted us to eat frozen pizza which we did, just to not offend.
We left for Seattle at 1.00pm.
What a weekend, yet it all worked out great, we saw Alexis, Adam, and our friends all in the same weekend. We had some great food, and probably too much Scotch. But it was a wonderful time.
Sometimes the crazy just works.
Thank God for taste buds!
Sometimes great meals are easy meals. For a great steak my fallback is so simple – olive oil and garlic salt. People rave, and it is so easy.
This meal was a tenderloin, along with green beans that were sautéed with hazelnuts.
Steam the beans, then sauté in olive oil, garlic and rough crushed hazelnuts, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
The second course was a grilled Cesar Salad. I wish I could take credit for the recipe but I found it at a blog site “the Little kitchen” and it is one of the best I have ever had, as well as a simple one.
Been There, Eating This 
